Excavating-conveyer.



J. KELLY. EXGAVATING GONVEYBR.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 17,1910.

Patented Feb. 14. 1911.

2 -SHEETS-SHEET 1.

by; E II Ill/06771307? J. KELLY.

EXGAVATING GONVEYER.

APPLIOATIDN FILED IEB.17,1910.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

44 /7 Wit 72,666 66.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KELLY, OF JAMAICA PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS.

EXCAVATING-CONVEYEB.

of the United States, residing at J amaica Plain, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Excavating-Conveyers,

of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to improvements in excavating and elevating apparatus, and the object is to provide a portable apparatus of this class which shall be particularly adapted for use in excavating collections of matter from sewer catch basins and the like and depositing such matter in a suitable receptacle forming a part of the apparatus.

The object is further to provide suitable means for raising and lowering the excavator to move the same into and out of catch basins. v

A-still further object is to provide a movable lateral wall which constitutes a tailboard for the vehicle box and means for operating the same to discharge the contents of said box.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the combination andarrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referrin to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the apparatus at suitable intervals.

as the same is arranged when operating in a catch basin or the like. Fig. 3 is a plan of the apparatus. Fig. fl: is an elevation of the apparatus viewed from the left hand side of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 is a box on which is supported an endless link belt conveyer 11 havin an approximately horizontal portion 12 an an approximately vertical portion 13 and consisting preferably of a pair of chains having suitable buckets 14 mounted thereon The horizontal portion 12 of the conveyer is located above the box 10 so as to discharge thereinto and'sa-id box is provided with a suitable tail-board 15 which is constructed and adapted to be opened as hereinafter described to discharge the contents-of said box. The vertical portion 13 at its lower terminal portion extends Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. '14, 1911. Application filed February 17, 1910. Serial No. 544,356.

around a pair of sprocket wheels 16 journaled on a shaft 17 terminating at its opposite ends in vertical rods 18 constituting slides mounted, respectively, in guides 19. The guides 19 are secured to a shaft 20 pivotally mounted in bearin brackets 21 secured to the rear end of tie box 10 and on this shaft two sprocket wheels 22 are journaled. r

The tail-board 15 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 23 on which two sprocket wheels 24 are mounted to rotate about the axis of said shaft. around the sprocket wheels 16 and upwardly around the sprocket wheels 22 and 24: and extend thence approximately horizontally toward the front of the box 10, the terminal portions of said chains passing around sprocket wheels 25 secured, to a shaft 26. The shaft 26 is journaled in suitable bearings 27 constituting slides which are mounted to slide, respectively, in suitable guides 28 mounted on the box 10 on opposite sides of the conveyer belt.

Mounted on opposite ends, respectively, of the shaft 26 are two drums 29 around which are wound flexible members 30 consisting of endless ropes or chains, these ropes passing around idler drums 31 journaled, respectively, on studs 32 secured to the guides 28, respectively, said ropes extending also around drums 33, respectively, secured to a.

driving shaft 34 journaled in suitable bearings 35 on the front of the box 10. It will be understood that only the upper portion of each of the endless ropes 30 is wound around its respective drum 29 and it will be understood that each rope is wound around such drum one or more times so that when a longitudinal movement is imparted to said ropes, said drums are rotated, thereby rotating the sprocket wheels 25 and driving the conveyer belt 12, the normal direction of gavel of, which is indicated by the arrow A,

Preferably, the apparatus is mounted upon a motor vehicle, as shown, so that the same may be transported from one place to another. The motor vehicle is provided with usual traction wheels 36 driven in any usual or desired manner by an engine 37 through a suitable clutch 38 and transmission mechanism 39 and this engine serves as a convenient source of power for driving the conveyer, the. transmission mechanism being connected to the conveyer by a sprocket The chains of the conveyer 12 pass wheel 40, a chain 41 and a sprocket wheel 42 secured to the driving shaft 34. The bearings 27 are connected to each other by a yoke 43 to which is connected a suitable means for controlling the movement of said bearings in their respective slides, such means in this instance, consistingof a tackle 44 comprising a rope 45 passing through suitable sheaves in a block 46 mounted on the yoke 43 and assing through suitable sheaves in a block 47 mounted on any suitable fixed means, such as a post 48. This tackle serves not only as a means for restraining the bearings 27 of the shaft 26 as to movement toward the rear of the apparatus, but may also'be employed to move said bearings and shaft toward the front of the apparatus. In practice, the weight of the vertical portion 13 of the conveyer belt and the slides 18 will be sufficient to tend to carry the same downwardly if released by the tackle just described.

Secured to the upper ends of the rods 18. is a yoke 49 which is connected to the post 48 by a tackle consisting of a rope 50 passing through sheaves in a pulley block 51 connected to said yoke and a pulley block 52 connected to said posts, whereby said rods may be rocked about the axis of the shaft 20. The rods 18 may be connected to the tail-board 15 by any suitable detachable connection or connections such as chains 53, whereby by rocking said rods, about the shaft 20, the pivoted tail-board 15 may be swung outwardly toward the rear to discharge the contents of the box 10. These chains may be disconnected from the rods 18 when the apparatus is in operation. a

The'tail-board 15 is normally locked in its closed position by means of two bolts 54 operated by levers 55 pivotally connected to each other and pivotally mounted on said tail-board, said levers constitutin a toggle connected by a link 56 to a manua 1y operatable lever" 57 by means of which said bolts may be actuated to unlock the tail-board.

Secured to the shaft 26 are two ratchets 58 engaged by pawls 59, respectively, pivoted on the bearings 27, said pawls and ratchets serving to lock said shaft against clockwise movement, see Fig.6, but permitting said shaft and the sprocket wheels 25 thereon to be rotated counterclockwise. Thus it will be understood that if the chain 41 be driven in the direction of the arrow B, Fig. 1, the endless ropes 30 will act through the drums 29 to impart a counterclockwise rotation to the shaft 26 and 25, thereby driving the conveyer belt, in the direction of the arrow A. If, however, the direction of travel of the chain 41 be reversed, the pawls 59 cojiperating with the ratchets 58 will act to lock the shaft 26 and sprocket wheels 25 against clockwise rotative movement, the consequence being that the sprocket wheels.

the upper portions of the ropes 30 will be driven in the direction of the arrow C, Fi 1, thereby carrying the shaft 26, bearings 2 sprocket wheels 25 and the horizon al portion of the conveyer connected thereto toward the right, thus lifting the vertical portion of the conveyer.

The general operation of the apparatus hereinbefore speclfically described is as follows: The apparatus travels under its own power from place to place and when it is desired to operatethe same to clean'out a catch basin or for any other excavating work, the apparatus is placed in roper position with relation thereto, as f r example, as shown in Fig. 2. The chains 53 are disconnected from the rods 18 and the conveyer is connected to be driven by the engine 37 in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 1. The

rope 45 is then operated 'to allow the vertical portion of the conveyer to move downwardly and the shaft 26 and sprocket wheels 25 to movetoward the left from the position shown. in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, it being understood that the con.-

' veyer will be constantly driven by the ropes 30 by reason of their connection with the drums 29. As the conveyer is thus driven,

the buckets 14 pick up the mud or other' matter, carry the same upwardly and deposit it in the box 10, it being understood that the rope 45 will'be operated to allow the vertical portion of the conveyerto gradually descend until the bottom of the catch basin is reached. When the work is completed, the conveyer is raised by reversing the direction of travel of the chain 41,

1 whereby the pawls 59 cooperating with the ratchets 58 act to lock the shaft 26 and sprocket wheels 25 against clockwise rotation, as a consequence of which the horizontal portion of the conveyer is carried toward the right and the vertical portion of the conveyer is lifted until the parts occupy their normal positions, whereupon the clutch 38 is disengaged, thus bringing the parts to a state of rest in their normal positions, as shown in Fig. 1. The load of material thus collected is transported to the place where it is to be dumped and when backed up to the proper .point, the tail-board 15 is swung open, as hereinbefore described, by operating the rope 50.

Having thus described 'my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is: T

1. An apparatus of the classdescribed having, in'combination, an endless belt con veyer having a vertically disposed portion and a horizontally disposed portion, a driving wheel engaging said horizontally disposed portion, a drum connected to said driving wheel, an endless flexible member wound about said drum and having two portions extending horizontally in opposite .nected to said drum and operating to hold the same against rotative movement in one direction. v

2, An apparatus of theclass described having, in' combination, an endless belt eonveyer having a vertically disposed portion.

and a horizontally disposed ort'ion, a wheelaronnd which said vertical y disposed portion passes at its lower termination, a slide on which said wheel isjonrnaled, a guide on which said slide is mounted, a pivot on which said giiide'is mount ed to rock, a receptacle located beneath said horizontally disposed portion and having a horizontally ivoted lateral wall connected to said sli(e to be operated thereby, and means connected to said horizontally disposed portion to move the same bodily horizontally in the direction of its length, thereby to move said vertically disposed portion vertically.

3. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, an endless belt eonveyer having a vertically disposed portion and a horizontally disposed portion, a wheel around which said vertically disposed ortion passes at its lower termination, a s ide on which said wheel is journaled, a guide on which said slide. is mounted, a pivot on which said uide is .nioiintedto rock, means to rock said guide on said pivot, a. recei- /taele located beneath said horizontally disposed portion and having a horizontally pivoted lateral wall connected to said slide to be operated thereby, and means connected to said horizontally disposed portion to move the same bodily horizontally in the direction of its length, thereby to move said vertically disposed portion vertically.

4. An apparatns of the class described having, in combination, an endless conveyor belt, a driving" wheel engaging said belt, a

bearing for said wheel, a guide for said bearing, a drum connected'to said driving wheel, an endless flexible member wound about said drum and having two portions extending horizontally in opposite directions, respectively, from said drum, means to impart a longitudinal movement to said member, and means on said bearing ,to hold said drum against rotativc movement in one.

direction.

' 5. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, an endless conveyer belt, a driving wheel engagin said belt, a bearing for said wheel, a guide for said bearing, a drum connectedto said driving wheel, an endless flexible member wound about said drum and having two portions extending horizontally in opposite directions, respectively, from said driini,-iiieaiis to impart a longitudinal movement to said member, a pawl mounted on said bearing,

and a (so-acting ratchet connected to said driving wheel.

(3. An apparatus of the class describedhaving, in combination, an endless eonveyer belt, a driving wheel engaging said belt, a bearing for said wheel, a guide for said bearing, a drum eoiineetedto said driving wheel, an endless flexible member wound about said drum and having two portions extending horizontally in opposite directions, respectively, from said driiiii, means to impart a longitudinal movement to said member. :iiid'nieaiis secured to said bearing permitting rotation of said drum in one direction, but preventing rotation thereof in the opposite. direetion.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witlltSSCS.

JOHN KELLY.

VitllOSSOSi Danna. A. Romans, Sauna V. 1\[oCAii'rnY. 

